Bag incorporated with a fluid regulating valve

ABSTRACT

A flexible bag contains a fluid regulating valve formed through seals, wherein the flexible bag solves leaks and wasting of the contained product in a controlled manner by consumers. Incorporation of the valve balances the pressures and as a result an easy, continuous and controlled exiting by the user.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Honduran Application No.2008/000854, filed Jun. 4, 2008.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to a flexible bag that contains a fluidregulating valve for controlling within and while exiting the flexiblebag.

BACKGROUND

It is common to find a great variety of containers designed for liquidsbeing the same in the form of glass bottles, plastic, cardboard, etc.,and it is seen how the contamination levels increase more and more asnew materials are introduced such as: corks, labels and other items thatcomplement the packages of diverse products or the traditional plasticbottle.

Studies indicate that the United States of America consume 15,000million liters of bottled water yearly. The drink sector is rapidlyincreasing world-wide; however, it is one of the least regulated withinwhich 90 percent of the packages used are plastic or rigid.

According to the Earth Policy Institute, 1.5 million barrels ofpetroleum are needed yearly to fabricate the bottles consumed byAmericans. Once these packages are utilized they have to be disposed of.It is said that 86 percent of plastic packages used in the United Statesof America become garbage and the incineration of used bottles producetoxic sub-products such as chlorine gas and ashes that contain heavymetals same that are linked to an uncountable number of human healthproblems. Plastic bottles can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade andworldwide 2.7 tons of plastic are used yearly to bottle water.

Thus, there is a need for an improved container that has low fabricationcost and lower environmental impact.

SUMMARY

I provide a flexible container including a first film and a second film,and a fluid regulating valve, the fluid regulating valve containing afirst element that creates a controlled exit of product contained withthe flexible bag, and a second element that between the first and secondfilm induces the product to follow defined paths within the flexiblecontainer.

I also provide a flexible container including a fluid regulating valve,the fluid regulating valve containing a first element that creates acontrolled exit of product contained within the flexible bag, and asecond element that between the first and second film induces theproduct to follow defined paths within the flexible container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Without restricting the full scope of the disclosure, various preferredforms and its related articles are illustrated in the followingdrawings.

FIG. 1 shows is a side view of a trapezoidal flexible bag showingdetermined paths of product within the flexible bag.

FIG. 2 shows is a side view of a trapezoidal flexible bag showingdetermined paths of product within the flexible bag and having a precut.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a flexible bag with a fluid regulating valve onan upper side.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a flexible bag with a fluid regulating valve onan upper left side.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a flexible bag with a fluid regulating valve onan upper right side.

FIG. 6 is a first figure in a sequence showing use of a flexible bad.

FIG. 7 is a second figure in a sequence showing use of the flexible bad.

FIG. 8 is a third figure in a sequence showing use of the flexible bad.

FIG. 9 is a side view of a flexible bag with a sectioned element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For the purposes of this disclosure, the terms package and bag can beused interchangeably.

At present, a flexible package (bag) that allows the use of the featuresof a bottle, permits the reduction of the ever increasing contaminationlevels and because it has a lighter structure it requires less materialin its construction stage. Also, the common use of a cork, label, etc.as a result obtaining a low fabrication cost and a lower environmentalimpact.

I thus provide a bag of flexible material that contains a fluidregulating valve formed through welding in a bag elaboration process,wherein the valve allows contents of the bag to be dispensed in acontrol manner by consumers.

This disclosure applies to a diverse sector of industrial techniques;its construction is based on flexible materials that is laminated orcoextruded, where the valve has no incremental cost as it is elaboratedwithin the same bag structure, guiding the product through a pathpreviously defined that prevents that the fluid contained in theflexible package from coming out without control unless it is pressed.

I also provide a flexible fluid regulating valve, preferably elaboratedthrough seals, characterized by its capability to oblige the introducedproduct to follow a previously defined path that prevents the fluidcontained in the flexible package from exiting without control orleaking.

I further provide a fluid regulating valve elaborated, preferablyelaborated through seals, that is characterized by bringing togetherfront and lateral films of the flexible material to create a controlledexiting of the product.

In further aspects, the fluid regulating valve, preferably elaboratedthrough seals, is characterized by bringing together the front andlateral films of flexible material to create a controlled product exitthat can be placed near the exit of the package.

In a still further aspect, the fluid regulating valve can be eithersolid or sectioned.

Still further aspects call for a flexible container including a firstfilm and a second film, a fluid regulating valve, the fluid regulatingvalve containing a first element that creates a controlled exit ofproduct contained within the flexible bag, and the fluid regulatingvalve containing a second element that between the first and second filmthat induces the product to follow defined paths within the flexiblecontainer.

Still further aspects include a flexible container of wherein the firstelement brings together the first and second films to create acontrolled exiting of product and/or where the flexible container hasfront and lateral sides, the first element brings together the front andlateral sides of the flexible material to create a controlled exiting ofthe product.

Still further aspects call for a flexible container, a fluid regulatingvalve, the fluid regulating valve containing a first element thatcreates a controlled exit of product contained within the flexible bag,and the fluid regulating valve containing a second element that betweenthe first and second film that induces the product to follow definedpaths within the flexible container.

FIGS. 1 and 3 show a flexible package that in its fabrication processcan involve one, two or more films/laminas of flexible material, theflexible material laminated or coextruded to form a bag that can containliquid or paste like fluids.

The bag or package can be in different shapes (FIG. 1 and FIG. 3) andcan be fabricated via packaging systems or packaging machinery eithervertically or horizontally.

A vertical packaging process begins with one or two films of flexiblepackaging material, wherein the flexible packaging material is uncoiledand then transferred via a forming shoulder that allows for the unitingof the ends of coiled film and vertically sealing the bag in the case ofone coil or in the case of two coils uniting both ends to form twovertical seals.

In a horizontal machinery process a bag with four seals can be made or aform of “doypack” that does not limit the elaboration of the fluidcontrol valve, as this one is made and formed in the same materialuniting the front and lateral films of the material through a seal thatallows the direction of the fluid in a predetermined way (FIGS. 6-8)allowing a control of the product contained at the time of its opening.

Elaboration of the valve can be done right after or in tandem with thevertical seal or the horizontal seal. This can be elaborated throughseals that guide the product contained in the package allowing controlof the same at the time of its opening, preventing spills.

The control valve (FIGS. 1-9) is elaborated through a sealing jaw thatbrings together the two front and lateral flexible material films in adetermined way to induce the exiting of the product in a controlledmanner. This sealing process for the elaboration of the valve it carriedout at the time of elaboration of the vertical and horizontal seals.

Filling the bag with liquid or semi-liquid can be done prior to,inclusive with, or after a preferably continuous bag elaborationprocess, and is an independent process.

In a horizontal machinery process a bag with four seals can be made or aform of “doypack” same that does not limit the elaboration of the fluidcontrol valve as this one is made and formed in the same materialuniting the front and lateral films of the material through a seal thatallows the direction of the fluid in a predetermined way (FIGS. 6-8)allowing a control of the product contained at the time of its opening.

FIG. 1 shows an elongated rhombus shaped bag, where its horizontalborders identified with number 6 are smaller that its vertical bordersidentified with number 5, its contents be liquid or semi-liquid isrepresented with number 8, wherein the liquid or semi-liquid that canflow through in a determined way, indicated by number 7, in between theareas created by the flat sealing valve integrated by numbers 2 and 3.

FIG. 2 schematically describes the bag indicated in the description inFIG. 1, indicating the contained fluid as number 7, following its path,and indicating a precut with number 4 in the left upper right hand ofthe envelope or flexible bag.

FIG. 3 shows a flexible bag or container that indicates on of manydiverse positions that the plane sealing valve can provide in theenvelope and that is integrated by numbers 2 and 3 in a positioningtowards the center of the bag and where a precut is indicated by number4.

FIG. 4 shows a flexible bag or container that indicated a flat sealvalve integrated by numbers 2 and 3 located in the left corner. A precutis identified by number 4.

FIG. 5 shows a flexible bag or container that indicated a flat sealvalve identified by numbers 2 and 3 located on the right corner. Aprecut is identified by number 4.

FIG. 6 shows a first part of a sequence of three figures where aflexible bag or container is indicated containing a flat seal valveintegrated by number 2 and 3 located in the center of the container, andits contents indicated by number 8 to represent the first verticalposition of the container and its valve in a superior position.

FIG. 7 shows part of a second sequence of three figures where a flexiblepillow like bag or container is indicated containing a flat seal valveintegrated by numbers 2 and 3 located in the center of the container,and its contents indicated by number 8 to represent a second position ofthe container with its head valve indicating no spills of its contentsindicated in number 8.

FIG. 8 shows a third sequence of the flexible bag or container in thesame of a pillow that contains a flat seal valve integrated by numbers 2and 3 located in the cert of the container, and its contents indicatedby number 8 to represent a third position o the container with its headvalve and a fluid indicated by number 8 that follows a fluid indicatedby number 7 that exits once it is squeezed.

FIG. 9 shows a bag in the shape of an elongated rhombus where itshorizontal borders indicated by number 6 a smaller tan its verticalborders indicated by number 5, its contents be it liquid or semi-liquidis represented by number 8, same that can follows a determined pathindicated by number 7, amongst the areas created by the flat seal valveintegrated by numbers 2 and 3, where seal 3 can be solid as in theprevious figures or sections as indicated in FIG. 9.

I, thus, provide methods and apparatus of a flexible bag containing avalve, wherein the valve induces liquid or semi-liquid to followdetermined paths within the bag, thereby making the liquid orsemi-liquid within the bag easier to control. Various changes andmodifications can be made without departing from its scope or spirit.For example, one skilled in the art will understand that differentshaped bags and different locations of valve can be mixed and matches asdesired. Furthermore the value itself can be of various shapes.

1. A flexible container, comprising: a first film and a second film, anda fluid regulating valve, the fluid regulating valve containing a firstelement that creates a controlled exit of product contained within theflexible bag, and a second element that between the first and secondfilm induces the product to follow defined paths within the flexiblecontainer.
 2. The flexible container of claim 1, wherein the firstelement brings together the first and second films to create acontrolled exiting of product.
 3. The flexible container of claim 1,wherein the flexible container has front and lateral sides, the firstelement brings together the front and lateral sides of the flexiblematerial to create a controlled exiting of the product.
 4. The flexiblecontainer of claim 1, wherein the first and second elements areelaborated through seals.
 5. The flexible container of claim 1, whereinthe second element is sectioned.
 6. A flexible container, comprising: afluid regulating valve, the fluid regulating valve containing a firstelement that creates a controlled exit of product contained within theflexible bag, and a second element that between the first and secondfilm induces the product to follow defined paths within the flexiblecontainer.